


Sweet Dreams

by Chloe_Gayzer



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Dream Sharing, F/F, Nightmares, Soulmates, Wet Dream, child abuse mention, i promise those last two aren't the same one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:55:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24208537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chloe_Gayzer/pseuds/Chloe_Gayzer
Summary: Anita feels bad for her soulmate.Whoever they are, they keep getting her horrible nightmares every time she has a bad day. She really doesn’t mean to have them, but some nights even the best preventative can’t stop them.
Relationships: Bangalore | Anita Williams/Lifeline | Ajay Che
Comments: 7
Kudos: 62





	Sweet Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently I've lost all ability to write things that aren't specifically about Ajay or Anita. I got some real angsty shit in the works...

Anita feels bad for her soulmate.

Whoever they are, they keep getting her horrible nightmares every time she has a bad day. She really doesn’t mean to have them, but some nights even the best preventative can’t stop them.

Joining the games had made them worse, but it’s rare that the dreams are about the games. Usually, it’s something from her days in the IMC and the things she’d experienced that she still tries to forget.

She hopes that whoever she’s sharing her dreams with is patient. The stress she’s been under has the nightmares popping up more often than not.

At least her particular brand of soulmate match doesn’t have them sharing pain. She wouldn’t wish some random person to have to suffer from her particular job. Sharing dreams isn’t uncommon as a tell, but it's less common than one or two others. Sharing pain is often a way to tell. Many also share strong emotions.

Anita feels sort of lucky she got dream sharing. It's the least intruding. Both soulmates have to be asleep in order to share them. It doesn't just pop into their head if one is asleep and one is awake. Of course, she can tell her soulmate is on a similar sleeping schedule to her. She can feel when this person-- a woman, she would bet, but she won’t assume-- has fallen asleep. If she stays up too late, she can feel that little beat, like one distant drum, in her head.

She also knows she tends to wake up before her soulmate. Anita is up at six to go to the gym. Her soulmate usually stumbles out of bed sometime past seven.

Their dreams don't always share, but it's gotten increasingly common as of late. All her dreams in the last week are ones she knows have been shared. There are times she can't tell if the dream had been hers first or her soulmates, but in-dream context usually decides that.

The one disappointing thing about sharing her dreams is that Anita doesn’t really have a way to hunt down her soulmate. She wouldn’t mind finally meeting this person and, if she’s lucky, forming a relationship. Not every soulmate connection turns into that, but her parents are soulmates, so she likes the idea of finding her own.

She has no idea if her soulmate will tolerate her, what with all the nightmares she’s passed their way in the last few months. She should probably try to find a way to keep them from happening.

So when Anita wakes up from her third consecutive nightmare that week, she says a quiet sorry-- though she knows her soulmate can’t hear her-- and stays up. It’s four in the morning. She can tell her soulmate woke up too. It’s a similar little beat in her chest but different enough for her to know.

Anita crawls out of bed and goes for coffee. She has nothing planned for the day, so being up this early isn’t too disastrous. She’ll take a nap later if she has to.

She heads to her kitchen and grabs some coffee. Sitting at her table, she pokes around on her phone for a bit. Her social media is fairly quiet but for the usual stream of fans. Everyone else is likely asleep right now, so she’ll have to deal without company. Her gym is open twenty-four/seven, so she can head that way when she’s ready.

Anita scrolls through her feed as she sips her coffee. Some legends are more active than others. She’s changed her options so she stops getting Octane’s crap on her feed; how he takes as many videos as he does in a day is beyond her. She likes Natalie’s occasional posts of different experiments with electricity. Makoa, along with Ajay, both like to signal boost charities that they’ve checked out. Ajay will also post at least once a day, usually pictures of what she’s doing or what she’s eating.

Anita nearly scrolls past a picture Ajay has posted. It’s her little robot, Doc, with a pink bow on her head. Doc is looking clean and unscuffed. The explanation is in the caption.  _ This girl got her spa day! Completely clean and prettier than a picture! : ) _

Anita gives a little amused noise and likes it. She thinks well of Doc, as well as the woman who made her. Both have kept her healthy in the ring more often than not.

She hits like on the picture and moves on.

Anita doesn’t update her social media often. Usually just once a week. She’s just not much for it. Maybe she’ll post something about her workout today. Her last post is nearly a week ago already, so it’s about time.

A minute or two passes of her continuing down her feed before a message comes through her phone.

_ Why ya up so late, Nita? _

It’s Ajay. It’s a little after four, but she’s up too. She probably noticed Anita hit like on her photo.

_ Woke up. Can’t get back to sleep. What about you? _

Anita is pretty fond of Ajay. The woman is friendly and has helped her out a couple times since they’ve met. They’ve been hanging out pretty often lately and, admittedly, flirting a bit. Anita looks forward to where it’s going. Anita might like the idea of finding her soulmate, but that’s not going to stop her from possible other relationships.

_ Same with me. Bein lazy in bed ta try n get more rest. _

_ I’m heading to the gym. If I can’t sleep I may as well make some gains. _

_ Best send pictures, Nita! Can’t keep all that pretty muscle t yaself. ; ) _

Anita grins. That’s one thing Ajay’s never been shy about complimenting. She likes Anita’s body; Anita doesn’t blame her.

_ Maybe if you ask nicely. _

The response is near instant.  _ What if we trade? I’ll send ya one too. _

She has to take a deep breath. Now that’s a suggestion.

_ That might work. _

She gets an image near immediately. It’s almost startling to get; she breaths in a bit of her coffee and has to take a moment to cough until she can breathe again.

Ajay is on her back in bed. She’s holding the phone up above her. Her hair is a messy halo of pink around her head. She’s wearing a thin tank top that’s riding up high to show most of her stomach. Her skin is dotted with freckles and there are a few stretch marks on her lower stomach. Anita can see down incredibly low on her, the view only blocked by a blanket barely covering the most important parts. She’d bet Ajay is wearing a, admittedly tiny, pair of shorts too, since she’s seen Ajay’s pyjamas before, but she can’t see any evidence of them in the picture. Ajay’s free hand is resting on her lower ribs, partially covered by the tank top that’s barely covering her chest. She's almost definitely not wearing a bra.

Anita practically feels light-headed.

A text comes through a moment later.

_ Sendin it now since I might be asleep by the time ya get to the gym. _

Anita takes a moment to try and figure a response.  _ I’ll send it as soon as I’m in my gym clothes. _

_ I’ll be waitin ; ) _

Anita doesn’t know what to respond to that, but she finishes her coffee so she can get moving. She’s just rinsing out her mug when she feels that beat in her chest again. Her soulmate, whoever they are, is asleep again. She’ll stay up so they can get sleep without any nightmares.

Her gym is just about empty. At nearly five in the morning, that’s not surprising. It’ll get busier in the next hour or so.

She heads to the locker room and changes quickly, holding off on her usual shirt to leave herself in her sports bra. She snaps a quick picture for Ajay. She keeps herself tense to show off her muscle definition. She holds up and flexes her other arm and gives a smoky look to the camera. As soon as it’s snapped, she sends it off. Hopefully, it’s enough to pay back for the image Ajay sent.

Anita doesn’t get a response. Ajay has likely fallen back to sleep in the time it took to get to the gym. Maybe she’ll get a text back later in the day.

Anita stays in the gym for a while. She usually does a morning workout anyway, but this one she goes for longer than normal. At a little past seven, she feels her soulmate wake up. She hopes they got a good amount of sleep, unplagued by the nightmares she tends to have.

Anita has tried to research her particular brand of dream-sharing, but it isn't exactly a science. It also seems to be a little different for just about everyone. Some found a close proximity to their soulmate would increase dream frequency if it had been before they actually realized they were soulmates. Others reported the opposite. Some had the ability to tell when their soulmate was asleep, others didn't. Some even had a set amount of shared dreams, a sort of "once a week" sort of thing. She's not so lucky.

The one agreed thing between everyone is that, once she had met and realized who her soulmate was, they would be able to control dream sharing. She doesn't really get how, but she wants it.

Her phone goes off in her pocket. It's half-past eight, she realizes. She could head to the firing range soon.

The message she has is from Ajay.

_ What a good thing t wake up to, sugar. Ya look good enough t eat ; ) _

It's at least a little harder for Anita to focus after that.

* * *

It happens again a few days later. Anita finds herself trapped in a nightmare. This one incorporates the ring and she has to watch it close as she tries to getaway. Her feet feel like lead and she can barely move. Her teammates are falling around her and she can't do anything to help them.

Anita has the familiar feeling that tells her this dream is being shared with her soulmate.

Even through the rising terror of the ring, she feels guilty about that. They didn't sign up for this.

It’s as the burn of the ring starts on her skin that she wakes with a start.

This time, it’s only a few minutes before her alarm goes off. At least there’s that. She doesn’t bother trying to get the last ten minutes of sleep and just pulls herself out of bed. At least her soulmate hasn’t woken up from it.

Anita stumbles to the bathroom and turns on the shower. The hot water feels heavenly.

Once she steps out, she lets herself fall backwards on her bed. She feels the beat again and knows her soulmate is awake.

For what feels like the hundredth time, she searches online to try and find ways to stop nightmares. The usual results suggest a regular sleep schedule-- which she has, exercise-- which she already does, and cutting caffeine. She doesn’t really want to do that, but she could probably try, if they don’t ease up soon.

It didn’t use to be a problem for her. She used to have dreamless sleep more often than not. Now she shares dreams multiple times a week, and as of late, quite a few nightmares.

Anita sighs and gets up. She’s tired of it. And she’s tired.

One of the other suggestions is to make sure to relax when possible. Maybe she’ll figure something out towards that. She’s heard there’s a pretty decent park near the centre of the city. Maybe she’ll go visit.

* * *

The park is nice. It seems like many types of plants native to earth have been grown here. It’s definitely the relaxing sort of atmosphere she wanted. There aren’t many people here, so if she’s lucky she won’t be bothered by any fans.

Anita has some good memories of parks. She remembers her mother making a big meal and bringing her and her brothers out on a nice summer’s day. It’s been a long time since she’s gone for a picnic. It’s a little bit tempting, but with how the media is, some rag or other would make a news story of her doing something so soft.

What she’d really enjoy is going on a proper hike. She and Jackson had used to go on hikes together whenever they were home.

Anita immediately tries to veer her thoughts away from that. Too painful for now.

She keeps on her walk. The breeze is pleasant and she enjoys being in nature she knows. She heads for a park bench but veers when she sees one further down with a familiar figure sitting there.

One miss Ajay Che is sitting on a bench with her head back, eyes closed. She looks tired.

"Ajay?"

Ajay looks up at her. She gets a smile. "Hey, 'Nita." She pats the bench beside her.

Anita sits and gives her a curious look. "You okay?"

She's waved off with one casual hand. "Ain't been sleepin' well, that's all." She leans against Anita's side, head on her shoulder.

"Something troubling you?"

Ajay just shrugs. "Dun think I wanna talk about it right now. Ya' company is nice though." She tilts her head so she's looking up at Anita. "Whatcha doin' here? Dun think I've ever seen ya' here before?"

"That's because I haven't been here before. Do you come here often?"

Ajay snorts. "Ya' got better lines than that, sugar. I know cause I've heard em."

Anita feels her cheeks go a bit hot. "I didn't mean it like that. It was a genuine question."

She receives a smile and a soft hum. "I know. But it's such an  _ old _ line." She shakes her head. "Yeah, I come here pretty often. They had one a' these kinda parks back home. One with all the earth stuff. I like sittin' here n' just relaxin'."

"Do you miss Psamanthe?"

Ajay's smile disappears and she looks away. "I guess. There were good things. Lotta bad things though. Easier t' help people out here. Easier t' be me here."

"Well, I like you being you. I also like you being here."

That earns Anita the smile back. "Thank ya'. Rather like be near ya', 'Nita. Ya' make a good pillow."

Anita realizes that they've got some similarities with the poor sleep lately. She decides to make the woman an offer.

"My hours have been a little weird lately when it comes to sleep… You can always text me if you wake up or something. I'll answer if I'm up."

Again, she gets a sweet smile. Ajay presses up to place a soft kiss on her jaw. "Ya' real sweet, baby. Might have t' take ya' up on that soon."

Anita hooks her arm around Ajay. Ajay is all too happy to lean into her side. "And if you ever need someone to listen to what's troubling you, I've got ears."

Ajay hums. "Maybe eventually. But I ain't gonna ruin this. Rather focus on bein' right here with you."

Dropping her voice low, Anita murmurs, "I like you right here with me." She can feel the shiver go down Ajay's back. She's a little bit proud of that. Anita decides she’s going to try one step farther. “Don’t know if it’d cheer you up, but… Any chance you’d let me buy you lunch, doll?”

Sitting up, Ajay grins. “Definitely cheers me up. Ya’ got a place in mind, or can I convince ya’ t’ a place near here?”

Going on a date counts as relaxation, right? Anita likes the idea at least. 

“Wherever you want works for me.”

* * *

Anita feels a lot more optimistic in the few days after her first date with Ajay. Her bad dreams disappear for a bit, or at the very least she doesn’t remember them.

They had texted fairly often before it, but Anita is happy to receive more now. What really drives Anita crazy is Ajay will send her pictures more often now too. Plenty are just cute selfies or things she’d see during her day. It’s when night falls that she, a couple times now, has sent much more risque photos of herself.

Ajay had given Anita warning before each, but a text of “Ya mind if I send ya a pic, baby? ; )” wasn’t enough to prepare her for what she got when she said yes.

Ajay is taking the picture over her shoulder, reflected in the bathroom mirror behind her. She’s sat on the edge of the counter in front of it. Her back is bare. All she seems to be wearing is a little pair of sheer pink panties that are sitting low on her hips. Her hair is down, half hiding her smirk as she turns her head to give a side glance to the mirror.

Anita can barely breathe for the first few moments after she sees it. She would give anything to run her hands down Ajay’s back, set them on her hips. The thought that she might be able to hold this woman, kiss her, show her exactly how much she enjoys Ajay’s body… It’s overwhelming.

The next had been even more. This time, Ajay was laying on her back in bed, not unlike the picture she’d sent Anita the morning they’d both been up too early. This time, though, she had no shirt covering her, and still no evidence of a bra. The most she had done to cover herself is an arm across her breasts. What she can see of them is beautiful and dotted with freckles. Anita wonders if Ajay would moan if Anita palmed her breasts, if she preferred gentle or rough touches, if she'd let Anita kiss every freckle she can find on them.

Anita tries to send back pictures of the same quality, but she feels like they just don't match up to Ajay's skill. Ajay still seems happy about them, texting back wicked things about the details of Anita's body.

Anita blames these photos for the contents of her next shared dream. It's embarrassing, really. She can only wonder what her soulmate thinks of the fact she's broadcasting, of all things, a wet dream to them.

The view isn't first-person, but almost an over the shoulder sort of thing, focused on a bed with her and Ajay in it. It's foggy, indistinct, but she has the undeniable knowledge of a dream that this is most certainly her and Ajay.

And despite not really being able to see it, she knows Ajay is between her legs, licking at her like a woman starved.

Anita wonders later if her soulmate gets the same confident knowledge in the dream as she does. If they don't, wouldn't this just be a vague dream about sex? Two people in bed together?

But for the moment, Anita lets herself enjoy the dream. It only gets better when Ajay starts whispering dirty talk to her from between her thighs.

Anita wakes up unspeakably aroused. She stows her dignity and grabs her phone. She searches the pictures of Ajay with hungry eyes as she gets herself off.

A bit later, still laying in bed, she thinks again on what her soulmate thought of that dream. It had been far and away better than the nightmares Anita has shared with them before. She hopes they don't think poorly of her. Then again, they might just think she's some fangirl for dreaming of sleeping with a legend.

She pushes it out of her mind for now. As far as she can tell, they're still asleep. Surely the dream stopped as soon as she woke up.

It's a few minutes after six by the time Anita pulls herself out of bed. She's usually dressed and on her way to her gym by this time. But she hasn't had a real lazy day in a while.

She sends Ajay a text without really thinking on it.  _ Can I make you dinner tonight? _

Anita wants to see her again. If she's lucky, she'll be given a chance to act on some of the questions she had at the pictures Ajay sent. At the very least, she might be able to be in Ajay's company again.

Anita settles down on her couch when she feels her soulmate wake up. She sends them a silent good morning and continues to channel surf on her television. She'll probably still end up doing something today, but she may as well be a little lazy now.

Her phone goes off not much later. It's Ajay's response.

_ Definitely! Cant wait t see ya pretty face. _

She sends a picture along with it. She looks like she's just sitting up out of bed. Her hair is in a messy braid. She looks a bit tired but she's blowing a kiss at the camera. Again she's in a tank top that barely leaves anything to the imagination, but Anita barely notices. She's too focused on Ajay's face. She looks like she's glowing despite just having woken up.

Anita texts back, asking if there’s anything she wants for dinner. She’ll have to go shopping later.

* * *

Dinner goes well. Anita feels relaxed and comfortable. There’s something about Ajay that helps her feel that way.

There’s a moment after dinner where they’re still sitting at the table, chatting with empty plates in front of them, that Ajay leans on her hand and goes. “Got a question for ya’, ‘Nita.” Her expression is still warm, so it can’t be a bad question.

Curious, Anita tilts her head a bit. “What’s up?”

“Just… Gotta letcha know, I ain’t in this for casual. N’ I dunno whatcha got for the soulmate deal, but… Guess I’m tryin’ t’ say I dun just want dates. Rather call ya’ my girlfriend than the lady I go on a date with once in a while, y’know?”

“You’re asking me to be your girlfriend?”

“Yeah, I guess. Sorry if it’s a bit soon.”

“Ain’t too soon. Hell, you coulda led with that whenever you wanted and I probably would have said yes.” 

Ajay shrugs. Her smile is wide. “Neva’ know. I dated ladies before now that didn’t wanna get serious ‘cause I wasn’t their soulmate.”

Anita leans her arms on the table, bringing herself a bit closer to Ajay. “I don’t see the point. My soulmate, whoever they are, is a stranger to me. You, you’re right here. I know what you’re like and I’m gonna learn more. Where’s the point in passing up someone as good as you if there’s only a chance I’ll meet my soulmate?”

Ajay’s smile softens. “Ya’ sweet.” She leans forward over the table and presses a soft kiss to Anita’s cheek. “Glad t’ call ya’ my girlfriend.” She sits back again. “‘Nother question, outta curiosity this time. What’s ya’ brand of soulmate?”

“What?”

“Pain sharin’ or emotions or what?”

“Oh. Dream sharing.”

“Same with me. But I always feel like I share the worst a’ my dreams with ‘em.”

Anita chuckles. “Yeah, I feel the same. It’s been embarrassing on my end.” She doesn’t give her most recent example. That’d be a bit much. Instead, she leans back and asks, “Wanna watch a movie?”

“Sounds fun.”

They don’t really watch much of the movie. Before the title screen even hits, Ajay sits herself down in Anita’s lap and kisses her until she sees stars.

They catch the end of the movie, though, when Ajay snuggles up next to Anita. She looks drowsy on her shoulder.

“You can stay the night if you want,” Anita murmurs.

Ajay gives her a regretful smile. “Wish I could. But I gotta mess t’ take care of at my clinic pretty early tomorrow. Dun think I’d wanna wake up if I’m in bed next to you. Next time?”

“Whenever you want.”

* * *

They don’t get to see each other for another couple of days. They keep in contact just fine though. Ajay still sends pictures that drive Anita up the wall with need and have her attempt to respond with pictures of a similar calibre. The two of them are also subject to hardy congratulations when Makoa finds out, and a quieter version of the same when Renee does. They both keep quiet about it though.

Anita doesn’t share another nightmare to her soulmate either. She’s thankful for that, as she doesn’t care to have them, let alone hoist them onto another.

She finds herself in a better mood. It has a little to do with the lack of nightmares and a lot to do with Ajay.

It’s a few days before she shares any dreams again. She’s thankful when the first is the standard nonsensical type that she has from time to time. She can’t tell if this dream comes from her soulmate or herself, but at least it's calm.

It's nearly a week before Anita suffers another shared nightmare.

But this one is almost definitely her soulmate's.

It's got the same sort of fogginess dreams always seem to have. The edges are nowhere to be seen, but she's still aware she's in an open room at the end of a staircase.

There's terror in her chest. She knows there's something she should be afraid of up those stairs.

She turns and hears footsteps up the stairs. Her name is called out but she gets the knowledge rather than actually hears it.

They're coming for her.

She runs, not at her own volition. She can feel the panic in this dream, the certainty they'll do something horrible if they catch up.

Her feet feel sluggish like they're sticking to the ground.

Her parents are going to catch her, they'll keep her here, why can't she get away, why won't they leave her alone, why, why, why?

Anita is struck by the realization that the people chasing her are parents. Her soulmate's parents, obviously, but  _ parents _ .

Parents are supposed to be warm. They're supportive and make you feel safe. Anita loves her mother and would do anything for her. But her soulmate seems to be afraid of their parents, enough so for this nightmare.

It pisses her off that they've been hurt this way.

The dream continues on. She runs and tries to hide but they always seem to find her.

After countless times trying to get away, she turns a corner and she's in a park and she feels happy for a moment. Someone here might keep her safe. Right?

But her hesitation lets them catch up. She feels herself ripped backwards. They have her now, they have her, they're going to--

Anita wakes up.

There’s adrenaline pumping through her, fueling the anxiety the dream had produced. 

She sits up and breaths her way through it. Her shaking hands steady. She can’t believe that’s the sort of nightmare her soulmate has. Had they woken up too? Yes, it feels like they had. It must’ve been the same moment Anita did so she missed the feeling of it.

Anita can only imagine the panic they must be suffering right now.

Anita gets her heartbeat to calm and lays back down. Almost as soon as she closes her eyes, her phone rings.

Well, she’s up anyway.

She answers without looking at the name.

“Hello?” Her voice is gruff from sleep.

“‘Nita?”

Anita is immediately awake again and sitting up in bed. “Ajay? Is something wrong?”

“I ain’t-- I ain’t feelin’ great. Dun wanna be alone.” Her voice is shaky. “Was wonderin’ if ya’ might…”

“Come over? Yeah, of course.” Anita is getting out of bed as she says it. “You want me to stay on the phone?”

“N, Nuh, it’s fine. Door is unlocked.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Anita doesn’t hang up until the line goes dead.

She gets to Ajay’s apartment maybe ten minutes after Ajay’s call. She doesn’t know why Ajay is feeling bad, but like hell is she going to ignore a call from her girlfriend in the middle of the night, asking for her to come over.

Ajay is in the living room when she gets there. She’s on the couch, hugging her legs in front of her. Her eyes are red, the skin around them puffy as if she’s been crying. She looks exhausted.

Anita tosses her jacket to the side and scoops Ajay up in her arms. Ajay clings to her as she settles onto the couch, Ajay in her lap.

“Sorry t’ wake ya’ up,” Ajay murmurs against her. “N’ t’ ask ya’ over.”

“Shh, it’s not an issue, doll… What’s wrong?”

Ajay snuggles closer to her. She’s quiet for a long moment. “One a’ the people who works for my parents contacted me a couple weeks back. They, they keep me up t’ date on what they’re doin’.”

“And?”

“They’re talkin’ about makin’ me come back n’ learn the business cause a’ them bein’ on trial. Disownin’ me if I don’t. Been gone for a while-- seven or so years-- now n’ apparently they just realizin’ now that I’m serious and I ain’t comin’ back.” She scoffs. “Ain’t got an heir to the business, might get got, and they’re panickin’.”

Sometimes Anita forgets Ajay is heir to a fortune back on Psamanthe. She hasn’t been told much on that front, but she knows Ajay’s parents are bad people. They’re on trial for war crimes too. With what she’s been told, it’s a miracle that they ended up bringing someone as sweet and empathetic as Ajay is into the world.

“Keep feelin’ like I see ‘em in public. My anxiety is goin’ crazy. I dun put it past my mother t’ come find me herself, even if she’s on house arrest.”

“She’s gonna have to go through me to get to you.”

Ajay manages a small smile. “I know, sugar. But I do  _ not  _ want ya’ t’ have to suffer bein’ round her. Or get in trouble cause ya’ protected me.” She sighs and nuzzles against Anita’s shoulder. “I ain’t enough for her. Wanted a son, but that ain’t me. Wanted at least a “proper” daughter, not me either.” A shrug. “Dunno why I thought they’d change n’ stop what they were doin’. They like their money more than a human life. Even their daughter’s.”

Anita doesn’t know what to say to that. How do you comfort someone you care about with this sort of anxiety? Say "I’m sorry"? It seems like so little with this sort of trauma. Ajay is afraid to see her own parents. Anita can’t fathom it.

She pulls Ajay closer. “Is there anything I can do to help?” she asks quietly, at a loss for anything else to say.

“Listin’ is enough. Holdin’ me makes it better too.”

“I’m here as long as you need me.”

Ajay settles heavier against her. “Gonna need ya’ for a bit, I think.”

“I’m not moving.”

She turns her head and presses a kiss to Anita’s jaw. “Thank ya’, baby.”

They don’t speak after that. Anita is comfortable holding Ajay. They’re well on their way to falling asleep. Anita’s eyes are still open just a bit, resting on Ajay’s face. Her eyes no longer seem red and she seems to be much calmer than she had been when Anita showed up. She’s drifting off, it seems.

Anita feels her soulmate fall asleep.

All at once, she’s wide awake. Is…? Is this coincidence?

“Ajay?”

There’s no answer.

Ajay is asleep. She-- Had she fallen asleep at the same time as Anita felt it? Could it be coincidence? Or could Anita be so lucky as to have Ajay be her soulmate?

She waits for a short bit before finagling to stand, lifting Ajay in her arms. She feels her soulmate wake.

“‘Nita?”

“Just carrying you to bed.”

Ajay lets out a soft “Mm” and then mumbles, “Stayin’ the night?”

“Of course.”

Ajay slips back into sleep.

Anita feels her soulmate fall asleep.

Anita tries not to shake at this revelation. She tucks Ajay into bed and climbs in next to her. She can’t help but stare at Ajay as she sleeps.

Ajay Che is her soulmate. Ajay Che! How the hell did she get this lucky? They’re already dating. She’s kissed this woman. Held her.

This woman is her soulmate.

Anita can’t tell if she wants to laugh or cry or what.

She feels full up. Like every emotion she has is bubbling up in her, fit to burst, if she doesn’t express it somehow.

But it’s, what, one thirty in the morning? She’s not going to wake Ajay right now. And like hell is she going to leave her side.

She lays on her back, staring at the ceiling, and can’t help but wonder at it more. She and Ajay were meant for each other. Are meant for each other. She feels wonderful, fantastic, better than she’s felt in months.

She rolls onto her side and just looks at Ajay.

Ajay is sleeping peacefully, thank goodness. Her expression is soft and her hair is messy. There’s a little bit of space between them, but Ajay, in her sleep, mumbles something unintelligible and curls closer to Anita’s warmth.

Anita can barely fathom what she feels for this woman.

She reaches out then and runs her fingers through Ajay’s hair. However she treats it keeps it soft and silky. She does this for a few minutes, doting attention onto Ajay in little ways as she sleeps.

Eventually, she just lays there, holding Ajay close to her, and thinks for a while. She isn’t tired. She might regret not sleeping later, but right now she’s distracted. This is her soulmate next to her.

Maybe she should have realized earlier. There are coincidences that she sees now that line up to point towards it.

Anita still hasn’t slept by the time the sun has risen. At most she dozes but it’s never full sleep. She feels too energized. Every sound brings her back to wakefulness, every movement makes her think about her discovery again.

It’s somewhere after seven in the morning that she feels that single beat in her chest telling her her soulmate-- Ajay!-- is awake.

She reaches out and runs her fingers through Ajay’s hair almost without thinking. “Mornin’, beautiful.”

Ajay makes a soft pleased sound and leans her head into the touch. “Mornin’ t’ you too, sugar.” She blinks a few times to clear her eyes of sleep.

Anita wants to blurt it, just say it as soon as she can, but she reigns herself in so she can have at least some tact.

“Thank ya’ again. For comin’ when I called.”

“I’d be an idiot to just leave you hanging like that.”

“Ya’ could a’ though. Ya’ coulda just ignored your phone ringin’ and kept sleepin’.”

Anita shrugs. “I had already woken up. For the same reason you did, I’d bet.”

Knitting her brow, Ajay gives Anita a worried look. “Nightmares, ya’ mean?”

“Your nightmare, specifically. With…” Anita frowns. “Your parents chasing you.”

Ajay looks confused. “I didn’t tell ya’ that last night. How did you--?” Realization dawns on her face. At first, it goes to disbelief, then joy. “Nuh! Ya’ fooling’, ya’ gotta be!” But even as she says it, she’s smiling. “How’d ya’ find out?”

Anita grins. “I can feel when you fall asleep and when you wake up. Last night, you fell asleep in my arms and… yeah.”

Before Anita can say more, Ajay hooks a hand on the back of her neck and pulls her in for a hard kiss. She lets go once she’s satisfied.

Ajay’s expression is bright and happy, but it falters and she frowns. “Sorry for subjectin’ ya’ t’ my nightmares.”

“Doll, you think I would hold that against you? I know you’ve seen a lot of mine lately too. But… We got each other, right? I think that makes it worth it.”

“Dun think I’ve seen any of yours. Mine have been pretty repetitive, so I know when they're mine."

Anita shrugs. "Either way, I don't know if it matters. I'm just… fucking thrilled. For a lot of reasons."

Smiling again, Ajay's look softens. "Same with me. Glad I didn't get some fool of a thing. Much prefer you."

Anita chuckles low and remembers a dream of a different calibre. "I'll be honest. There's another dream I shared with you that I'm not sure if I'm more or less embarrassed about it, now that I know I didn't share it with a stranger."

"Which was that?"

Her cheeks flush a bit but she isn't going to let that stop her. It was a good dream. "A week ago or so. The night before I invited you to dinner. The wet dream? With you eating me out and whispering dirty talk to me."

Ajay bites her lip and grins. "Mm, baby, that one was definitely mine. Ya' missed the best parts a' the dream if that's all ya' got from it."

Anita's voice drops to a low husk. “That so?”

Ajay leans in and whispers to her. What she says sends a shiver down Anita’s back.

The only response she can come up with is, "You're welcome to show me what I missed."

Ajay laughs but leans in to kiss her slow. When she pulls away, she gives an apologetic smile. "Wish I could. But I do have responsibilities t' take care of today. Gotta make sure the clinic doesn't burn down." She runs her hand over the shaved side of Anita’s head before playing with the curls on top. “I can get tomorrow off, if ya’ wanna spend it together.”

“Definitely.”

“Seh one. Dunno how I’m gonna focus, knowing you’re my soulmate. Gonna be on my mind all day.”

“That’s how I’ve felt since you fell asleep.”

Ajay purses her lips. “You sleep at all?”

“... Not really.”

She huffs and makes a point to pull the blanket up on Anita. “Then get some.”

Anita is feeling a little tired now that she thinks of it.

“I’m gonna get goin’ so I can try t’ get out of there early, mmkay?” Ajay smiles at her again, soft and sweet. “Wouldn’t mind comin’ home t’ you in my bed, if you wanna stick around.”

Anita chuckles. “You’re gonna have a hard time getting rid of me, doll.” She follows the statement with a yawn.

Ajay kisses her cheek before climbing out of bed. “Then I’ll see tonight. Sleep well, sugar. And dun have any good dreams without me.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Find me as A-Softer-Apex and Chloe-Gayzer on tumblr.


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